Journal box lid



Oct. 25 1955 E. H. BLATTNER JOURNAL BOX LID Filed Oct. l1, 1950 FIG. 2

FIG. 1

FIG. 4

Inventor; Emil H. Blattner FIG. 3

ar Mw..

his Attorney ton-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application October 11, 1950, Serial No'. 1t9j660 9 Claims'. (Cl. 308-47) This invention relates to a lid of a `pivotal type and arranged to function as a complete cover for an access opening in a journal box of a railway vehicle.

Anobj'ect of the invention is the provision, in ajournal box lid, of a` composite cover having an inner metallic plate and a non-metallic framing skirt only the latter of which is arranged to be in direct contact with an edge surface Aofthe journal box.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a journal box lid, of a composite cover arranged to close or blanket an access opening of a journal box and comorising a metallic inner plate and a liexible, self-adjusting skirt forming an extension of the plate.

` A stillfurther object of the invention is the provision, in' a journal box lid, of a metallic plate of less extent than anl access opening into the journal box and having a deformable or flexible skirt framing the plate and arranged Y t' seal the journalbox-lid juncture. j l

e The above and numerous other detailed and broad objects of the invention will become` apparent from the succeeding description taken into consideration with the accompanying drawing .y'herein:A l v yFigure l is' a front elevational vie-w of a journal box lidc'haracteristic of the present invention. L

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional viewtaken'along the lines 22 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

j Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken alongthe lines 3-3 of Figure l looking in the direction Vof the arrows.

n Figure 4 is a vertical sectional 'View taken along the lines 4 4 of Figure l looking 4in thedirection of the arrows. j i l Referring now in detail to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts, thenumeral 1 isv Vemployed to indicate, ina somewhat` general manner, a journal box lid embodying a form of the present invention. The journal box lid, which may be hereinafter referred to generally as a lid, is primarily intended to be associated with a journal box 2 shown diagrammatically only and in part in all of the figures because it forms no part of the present invention. The journal box, which may be of presently acceptable conventional design comprises a lroof or top wall 3 spaced vertically from well orl lower wall 4 with both of these walls joined by substantially parallel, side walls 5 to denne or limit a forwardy access opening 6 therebetween. As is generally known this type ofV railway vehicle journal box is employed to house an axle and suitable bearing members as well as a lubricating medium and the access opening is provided in the journal box for the purpose of inspectionof the components in the journal box as well as the application or removal of some of the contained components. Upstanding from adjacent thev `forward or leading edge of the roof, intermediate the side edges thereof is a hinge lng 7 to which the journal box lidis pivotetl through the medium' of a hinge pin or pintle 8a In order to facilitate access :te the jeurnaibex, the1id,1asprfevibusly inrit4 2,721,771 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 cated. is arranged to be moved, about the pintle, from closed position over the access opening as illustrated, to an open position thus permitting free access to the journal b'ox. Also it is deemed well to state here that the journal box lid is designed to bear fully against the jour'- nal box so' as to prevent completely the ingress of foreign particles to the interior of the journal box and failing this, the primary purpose and intent of the lid is defeated entirely.

The lid has, as an integral part or component thereof, a top or outer member or hood 9 comprising a front wall 10 spaced an appreciable distance from and forwardljI of the journal box to terminate adjacent its top in a covering or top web 11 which partiallyrextends 'over the hinge lug in upper spaced relation thereto so as to be capable of clearing the hinge lug as the lid is pivoted about the pintle. Extending inwardly toward the journal box from the lateral edges of the front wall and top web' are transversely spaced, substantialy parallel, side flanges v12V which preferably terminate short of the journal box. The side anges, adjacent the upper extremities thereof, have outstanding laterally therefrom hinge ears 13 suitably apertured` for the reception or accommodation of the pintle, and thus appreciable bearing areas are presented at the pintle-lid juncture. The lower extremity of the front wall as itnears the area of the journal box is flattened out into a base 14 substantially parallel with the front extremities of the journal box walls to merge into a'n overhanging or outwardly directed lip 15. This lip is preferably curved outwardly and downwardly and terminates in a roll or head 16 so that an operators hook (not shown) may be associated with the lip to move the lid from closed to opened position. Transversely spced, outstanding ribs 17 merge with the lip,l base and front wall to reinforce the lower extremity of the hood.

Some component is believed necessary to hold the lid inopened or closed position and toward this end a coil or torsion' spring 18 is employed. While this spring is of the torsion typeit will be clearly understood that it need not be so limited since `many different types of force media may lend themselves to the present construction'. The spring comprises double coils 19 transversely spaced in horizontal, axial alignment and nested in a suitable arcuate cradle 20 formed in the hood front wall. The spring coils have their adjacent extremities joined by'an intermediate loop 21 which extends vertically or upwardlyv to carry a rotatable element or roll 22. vThis roll bears directly against the hinge lug and is` arranged to contact `either a front face 23 or upper face 24l of the lug to hold selectively, the lid ineither closed or opened position, respectively. The opposite extremities of the spring coils terminate in downwardly extending, substantially parallel legs 25 which project through suitable or accommodating apertures 26 in the hood front wall to bear Vagainst spring seats ,27-formed in the front Wall. The spring and hood arrangement is such that the upper extremity of the hood is urged Vin adirection away from the hinge lng and acts against the pintle while the lower extremity of the hood is urged inwardly of the journal box.

Because of the presence of external impulses to which the journal box-lid arrangement is subjected in service and which create vibratory forces tending to displace, however momentarily or temporarily, a closed lid from a full bearing relation with the journal box, the practice has grown in' the art to arrange for a somewhat universal connection between the hood and another component of the lid which is commonly termed a cover and is designated generally in the drawing by the reference character 28. Characteristic of the prior art so far as the above described universal connection construction is concerned, reference is hereby made to United States Letters Patent 2,258,584, granted October 14, 1941, to Glenn F. Couch. Another reason for the necessity of the universal connection is the fact that, in the majority of cases, the journal box is of cast form and extremely close tolerances and relationships of portions of the journal box which affect the successful or tight association of the lid and journal box cannot be maintained without prohibitive costs. The present structure has incorporated therein all the advantages of the prior art structures above referred to and embodies a universal joint connection without the use of such connection. Presented in a different manner the connection between the hood and cover is a rigid, firm, or fixed connection with a total absence of relative movement between these components at their juncture. Toward this latter end, therefore, the cover is of composite construction and as such has an inner or central metallic plate or sheet Z9. This sheet is desirably extended in a single plane and of an area considerably less than the clear access opening in the journal box. If the sheet, as presently constituted, was the only component of the cover, it is very apparent that it would not perform the function or office of a cover since it would not contact but rather move beyond the forward edges of the journal box walls. The metallic plate, preferably, is of a predetermined thickness so as to be rendered stiff in service and react only slightly, if at all, to the force imposed thereon. The base 14 of the hood bears directly against the sheet adjacent a central area of the latter in a full bearing relationship, and the base and sheet are formed as a substantially integral unit through the medium of a plurality of rivets 30 or any other elective holding or fastening means. By the present arrangement, the force transmitted to the cover by the hood is directed at substantially the central portion of the cover in an area substantially midway between the leading edges of the journal box upper and lower walls.

Forming a part of the sheet for all intents and purposes, is a non-metallic skirt or skirting 31 and which preferably, may be formed of an oil resistant rubber or rubber compound or any inherently flexible or deformable material so long as it is capable of lending itself to conditions to be met when associated with a journal box. This skirt or skirting, as will be observed by referring to Figure l particularly, forms in effect a continuous, complete or uninterrupted frame or border for the inner sheet so as to be extended to complete the blanketing of the access opening of the journal box by the cover. The skirt has a thickened inner portion 32 bifurcated as at 33 for the accommodation of that portion 34 of the sheet which is adjacent the periphery of the sheet. In actual practice the skirt is bonded to the sheet, and in order to inhance the bond value, the sheet is provided with a suitable member or opening 35 through which the non-metallic material extends in the form of shear plugs 36. The thickened inner portion of the framing skirt blends or merges into an outwardly directed tail or ledge 37 preferably of reduced thickness, with this tail, adjacent the periphery thereof, bearing directly against the leading or forward edges of the journal box walls to effect a positive, tight seal at this juncture. The inner surface 38 of the reduced tail is serrated as indicated so that in addition to the tight seal, a multiplicity of pockets 39 will be formed to entrap any foreign particles which may find their way to the pockets.

A certain amount of lubricant will, in service, be thrown against the inner surface of the cover and in order to redirect such lubricant again to the interior of the journal box, a drip flange 40 of U-configuration in plan, see Figure l, is formed on the lower thickened portion of the skirt and stands inwardly of the journal box therefrom. Also, in service, foreign particles will be directed at the cover-box juncture and in order to shield the juncture so far as possible, the skirt is provided with side anges 41 and top flanges 42, the latter of which extend toward one another until they reach a position Where they underlie the hood, at which location they are terminated.

In order to add to the inherent flexibility or resiliency of the frame ledge, the latter is normally, when removed from contact or association with the journal box, bowed or crowned as indicated in the characteristic View of Figure 4. By way of further explanation of Figure 4, this showing represents, so far as the ledge proper is concerned, the condition or preformation of the entire lip be it considered in initial contact, or out of contact, with any of the four walls of the journal box so that considering the entire or continuous, uninterrupted ledge it presents an inwardly arched or umbrella effect when out of contact with the journal box. Thus, when the lid is moved to fully closed position, the cover lip will be flexed and a positive, full or uninterrupted seal will be assured.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations may be made to the above described exemplification of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention herein contained or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of less extent than an access opening in said journal box, a hood rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the central portion thereof, spring means within and acting through said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a non-metallic flexible extension forming an integral continuation'of said plate and arranged to bear directly against said journal box.

2. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of an area less than an access opening in said journal box, a hood having a lower extremity secured firmly to said plate so as t0 prevent relative movement therebetween, a spring in said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a skirting bound to said plate and arranged for bearing relation with said journal box over said access opening; said skirting being of a non-metallic liexible material and held against said journal box entirely through said plate.

3. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of an area less than an access opening in said journal box, a hood having a lower extremity secured firmly to said plate so as to prevent relative movement therebetween, a spring in said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a skirting forming a bound extension of a periphery of said plate and arranged for full bearing relation with said journal box over said access opening; said skirting being spaced apart from said hood outwardly of said plate and being deformable and non-metallic.

4. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of less extent than an access opening in said journal box, a hood rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the central portion thereof, spring means within said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a skirting bound to said plate adjacent a periphery thereof to form a continuous circumambient extension of said plate to bear against said journal box over said access opening; said skirting being spaced from said hood and being non-metallic and deformed when in bearing relation with said journal box.

5. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of less extent than an access opening in said journal box, a hood rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the central portion thereof, spring means within said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, a skirt bonded to said plate and extending therebeyond for bearing against said journal box and closing said opening, said skirt being spaced fIQm Said hood outwardly of said plate, and said skirt being exible and of a deformable composition dierent than said plate.

6. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of less extent than an access opening in said journal box, a hood rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the central portion thereof, spring means within said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a rubber compound framing skirt bound to said plate adjacent a periphery thereof and arranged to bear against said journal box over said access opening; said skirt being spaced from said hood outwardly of said plate having a different cross-sectional shape when in contact with said journal box than whenv out of contact therewith.

7. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of, a metallic plate of less extent than an access opening in said journal box, a hood rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the central portion thereof, spring means Within and acting through said hood for urging said plate inwardly of said journal box, and a rubber compound skirt bound to said plate adjacent a complete periphery thereof and arranged to bear against said journal box over said access opening; said skirt being crowned in cross-section when out of contact with said journal box and substantially at when in contact with said journal box.

8. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box for closing an access opening therein, the combination of metallic plate means of less extent than said access opening, a iiexible member secured to and projecting peripherally beyond said means for engaging said journal box and closing said acess opening, a hood rigidly secured to said means inwardly of marginal edges of said flexible member, and a spring within said hood and acting therethrough and through said means for urging said ilexible member into bearing engagement with said journal box.

9. In a journal box lid pivotally mountable on a journal box, the combination of a hood and a cover, said cover consisting of metallic plate means of less extent than an access opening in said journal box and rigidly secured to said hood, and a flexible member secured to said means and of greater extent than said opening, said cover being yieldably engageable with said journal box about said access opening through said exible member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,215,743 Summers Feb. 13, 1917 2,348,843 Pearce May 16, 1944 2,525,436 Williams Oct. 10, 1950 2,540,662 Foss Feb. 6, 1951 

